Still, while negative forces - crime, civic bankruptcy and housing foreclosures - haven't helped, there remain more entertainment options than the stereotypical complaint that "there's nothing to do here."

"It's a good town for all sorts of entertainment," said Mike Cera, general manger of Stockton Arena and the Bob Hope Theatre. "Great, diverse entertainment.

"There are challenges we all face - speaking now as a resident of the community - like, maybe, a slower economy and a little more difficulty in certain things.

"I hope people don't take that as indicative. This is a very supportive market. The economy has been a little more difficult. As we get beyond that, artists will come back, and people will support them."

While economic reality remains a troubling factor, choices don't.

The Stockton Symphony (87 years), Stockton Chorale (61 years) and Stockton Civic Theatre (63 years) are firmly established institutions. So is the Friends of Chamber Music series (57 years).

"I wish I had the crystal ball," said Jane Kenworthy, in her fifth year as the symphony's executive director. "I'm a little bit puzzled right now, to be honest.

"The symphony enjoyed very nice business during the recession. Suddenly, this fall, things markedly (went) down. We thought, after the elections and the 'fiscal cliff,' we'd see improvement. So we're concerned. We don't know why, but things haven't been what we expected."

The city's iconic Blackwater Cafe unexpectedly closed after 31 years in 2012, but venues such as the Valley Brewing Co. and Whirlow's, among others, are helping fill the live-music void.

"I think I can speak for the whole Miracle Mile," said Kellie Craig-Jacobs, who's operated Valley Brewing for 16 years. "We feel we've become a mecca for music. "For us, (it) really has become a hub. There's a tremendous number of things to do. People have to be open for (going to) different venues."

Her business has become a veritable jazz center, with weekly open jams and shows.

Now in its fifth year, Stockton's downtown Plea for Peace Center averages three shows a week - from ska to punk and "screamo-metal."

"It definitely slowed down (in 2012)," said Middagh Goodwin, who's managed the nonprofit, no-alcohol venue since it opened in 2008. "But it seems to be picking up. A lot of bands are doing fewer dates because gas is so expensive."

New theater companies have been founded in Stockton, Tracy and Linden. During the school year, University of the Pacific and San Joaquin Delta College provide high-quality music and theater options.

Lack of awareness can create a deceptive impression.

"Maybe there's more available than people know about," said Jim Coleman, artistic director of the Stockton Civic Theatre. "People come to our theater and go, 'Oh, my God, we never knew this was here.' How many people know about Delta and UOP? We have to try and get a way for people to know.

"We've been doing very well over the last three years. We've built an audience - all by word of mouth. We still get lots of phone calls from people thinking we're the movie theater."

Social media - Facebook and Twitter - have worked effectively for Coleman's theater and other groups.

Despite so many local options, the arena, with a capacity of 11,500, and Hope (2,000) tend to be the gauges of success.

There were 165 events in 2012 at the arena, which twice was ranked in the world's top 200 in ticket sales by Pollstar, an industry publication.

Cera, in his second year in Stockton, remains encouraged.

"Oh, absolutely," he said. "We're working on Carrie Underwood on a Tuesday (Feb. 26). For her to sell as many tickets as she has is great. That's very optimistic to me. Vicente (Fernandez on April 13). I know that's gonna do great. That's very optimistic."

Underwood (once) and Fernandez (three times) previously have done sellout business at the arena.

"We have another (arena) show in the summer we're very optimistic about. It's for a diverse crowd. We're excited about that. The Hope is chugging along. We have a couple of comedians coming in. They're near sellouts every time."

Modesto's Bill Barr knows a lot about that.

"I'm optimistic of the outlook," said Barr, a Modesto resident who's been booking shows in Stockton since the late 1970s, including 2013 appearances by Bill Cosby and B.B. King (Wednesday) at the Hope. "To me, bar none, it's the best concert venue in the whole Central Valley.

"There are two great venues and management (Cera's SMG) that seems to understand things from both sides of the table. It's more favorable now than I can recall."